The subject matter described herein relates generally to wind turbines, and more specifically, to a component handling system for use in removing a component of a drive train assembly from the wind turbine.
At least some known wind turbines include a nacelle fixed atop a tower, a drive train assembly positioned within the nacelle, and a rotor assembly coupled to the drive train assembly with a rotor shaft. At least some known drive train assemblies include a gearbox that is coupled to the drive shaft, and a generator coupled to the gearbox. In known rotor assemblies, a plurality of blades extend from a rotor, and are each oriented such that wind passing over the blades turns the rotor and rotates the shaft, thereby driving the generator to generate electricity.
Because many known wind turbines provide electrical power to utility grids, at least some wind turbines have larger components (e.g., rotors in excess of thirty-meters in diameter) that facilitate supplying greater quantities of electrical power. However, the larger components are often subjected to increased loads (e.g., asymmetric loads) that result from wind shears, yaw misalignment, and/or turbulence, and the increased loads have been known to contribute to significant fatigue cycles on the drive train components, i.e., the gearbox and/or the generator. Over time, the drive train components may become worn and/or damaged. In at least some known wind turbines, a repair and/or replacement of the drive train component requires the rotor assembly to be removed from the drive shaft, and the nacelle, drive shaft, gearbox, and generator to be removed from the wind turbine tower prior to removing the component from the drive shaft and repairing and/or replacing the damaged component. In some wind turbines, the blades are between 60 and 100 meters in length, and as such, repairing worn or damaged drive train components can be costly and time-consuming.